I recently read about a woman who received a plant from the funeral of her husband’s grandfather. Not very knowledgeable about plants, it looked like a peace lily to her, and that’s how she treated it. She moved it around her house to better accommodate the sunshine it did or didn’t like, and she watered it as if it was a peace lily. However, no matter what action she took, she couldn’t get the plant to bloom. She was under the impression peace lilies bloomed well and she couldn’t figure out what she was doing wrong. Then she thought maybe it was root bound, so she untangled its thick roots and separated it, hoping to spark some growth. It still didn’t bloom. Then one day, scrolling through social media, a picture of a plant popped up, and it looked exactly like hers.

         For the past five years, her plant had been a bird of paradise and not a peace lily. She did some further research and learned that a bird of paradise plant takes ages to bloom, they love lots of sun, and they like to be root bound. Every time their roots are disturbed, the plant is set back three to five years.

            When I read this, I started thinking about roots. The Bible speaks a lot about roots. Proverbs 12:3 (NLT) says, “Wickedness never brings stability, but the godly have deep roots.” Proverbs 12:12 (Berean Study Bible) says, “The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.” And Jeremiah writes about the one who trusts in the Lord like this: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV).
           
            Jesus spoke about roots. In the parable of the sower, He said the seed that fell on rocky soil sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. However, when the sun came up, the plants were scorched because they had no roots (Matthew 13:5-6 NIV). When Jesus explained the parable, He said of those characterized as having rocky ground hearts, “But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away” (Matthew 13:21 NIV). Their roots did not go down deep into God’s Word, so when persecution arose, they fell away.
           
             Today, more than ever, we need to be rooted in God’s Word, so when persecution comes because of the Word, we will stand. In Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV), Paul tells us, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

​           Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1) and to build ourselves up in Him, we must be in His Word. Satan will try anything he can to keep us from reading God’s Word because he knows it is our life. “It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life…” (John 6:63 CJB). In these last days, as Christ’s followers, let’s be rooted and grounded in His Word, so we are bearing fruit for Him when He returns.

            In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about four types of soil where seed is sown. Some of the seeds fall on the wayside (hard, packed soil) and Satan comes to devour them (verses 4,19). Some seeds fall on stony ground. They get scorched and wither under the fire of tribulation because they have no roots (verses 5-6, 21). Some fall on thorny soil and are choked by the cares of this world (verses 7,22). And lastly, some fall on good ground, receptive to the seed. The good ground represents someone who hears the Word of God, understands it, and yields a crop, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was sown (verses 8, 23).
           
           What is surprising in this parable is that three out of four times, the Word did nothing, because one way or another, Satan stole it. It’s obvious from this parable that whenever God’s Word is sown into our hearts, Satan goes to work to steal it. And I believe one of the major ways he steals the Word from us today is through distraction.

             Isaiah 26:3, NKJV says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You…”. Peace depends on our ability to keep our mind focused, focused on Jesus. Lack of peace is the result of a wandering mind.

            This principle is demonstrated when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha. “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’s feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving…And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things…Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:38-42 NKJV).
           
            When Jesus came to visit Mary and Martha, what a wonderful time it must have been. Jesus wasn’t preaching to the crowds. He was meeting with a select group of people, teaching them God’s Word. Initially, according to verse 39, both Mary and Martha were sitting at Jesus’ feet. But the passage goes on to say, “Martha was distracted” (verse 40).
           
           What was Martha distracted about? I’m sure she was thinking about what she was going to feed all the guests in her house, all the work it was going to be, and that she better get moving to prepare and serve it. And this line of thinking drew her away. Her thinking pulled her away from Jesus, and pretty soon she was running around. Weust translates verse 40 this way: “But Martha was going around in circles, overoccupied…”. Does this sound like you and me sometimes?

            Jesus addressed the issue and said to Martha, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things” (verse 41). Martha had lost her peace. It left the minute she took her mind off the Word. Then Jesus added something important. He said, “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken from her” (verse 42). Jesus spoke the Word. Satan came to steal it. Martha allowed him to steal it by becoming distracted. Mary, on the other hand, chose differently. She chose the “good part” – to keep her mind on God’s Word. Jesus Himself guaranteed that God’s Word in Mary’s heart would take root and produce fruit.
           
            If we want the “good part”, we need to be determined to value God’s Word, honour His Word, and not let ourselves be distracted from the Word.
           
             Let’s not be too hard on Martha. Her motivation for getting up was to serve Jesus. But ministry is not a good substitute for intimacy with the Lord. There were two meals being served that day. One was the Word of God. The other was the one Martha was serving.  What should Martha have done? Remembered Who she was listening to – the One Who fed five thousand people with five fish and two loaves. Feeding a group of people was no problem for Jesus.
           
​             Today, as believers in Jesus, let us make the quality decision to keep our minds on God’s Word and to be like the 25% who receive, and not like the 75% who let it be stolen. If we keep our minds focused on God’s Word, we will find ourselves in perfect peace, no matter what the situation.

            Resurrection. When we think of that word, we may think of the past – a stone rolled away, an empty tomb, a risen Savior.
           
            But praise God, Jesus is alive today and we will celebrate His resurrection in a few short days.
           
            But Jesus is not the only One who has been resurrected. As born-again believers, we’ve been resurrected too. “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Ephesians 2:1 NKJV). The day we made Jesus the Saviour and Lord of our lives, we passed from death to life. Our old man died and, in its place, a new creature was born. “Therefore, if anyone is united with the Anointed One, that person is a new creation. The old life is gone—and see—a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 VOICE).
           
            Yes, there is coming a day when our earthly bodies will be raised and glorified. But when Jesus rose from the dead, He delivered us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light.  “For he has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son…” (Colossians 1:13 TLB). That verse is in the past tense – it’s already been done. Sickness, disease, poverty belong to the kingdom of darkness and praise the Lord, we’ve been delivered from these things through the resurrection of Jesus.
           
            You may ask, “If I’m so free, why am I still in debt?” “Why am I always sick?” “Why can’t I lose this weight?” It’s because we allow Satan to convince us we still belong to his kingdom – that we’re still spiritually dead.
           
           Today, we need to start thinking of ourselves as those who already have the resurrection life of Jesus inside us and not just as earthly beings who are waiting for the resurrection. “So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:11 NLT).

            As the reality of the resurrection life of Jesus inside us permeates our spirits, it will make a whole world of difference in how we live our lives.

        “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” Hebrews 11:1, Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. Faith is not moved by what the five physical senses perceive – by what it sees, feels, hears, smells, or tastes.

        Take Abraham as an example. “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20-21 NIV). The passage of time, the “evidence” of his and his wife’s age, or the barrenness of her womb, did not move him from the promise of God that he would have a son. “When there was nothing left to hope for, Abraham still hoped and believed. As a result, he became a father of many nations, as he had been told: “That is how many descendants you will have.” (Romans 4:18 NOG).  

        For “the path we walk is charted by faith, not by what we see with our eyes.” (2 Corinthians 5:7 VOICE). Walking by faith is walking by TOTAL confidence in the integrity of the Word of God. It is like flying an airplane by instruments when the outside visibility is zero. I recently read that a pilot’s inner ear can be affected in such a way that all kinds of directional feelings can present themselves and be contrary to what is actually happening. He has to trust his instruments no matter what he feels or thinks.

        In the same way, the believer must trust God’s Word so completely that physical evidence contrary to the Word doesn’t count, even when it is overwhelming.

         Satan operates in the sense realm. “The devil led him (Jesus) up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.  And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.  If you worship me, it will all be yours.” (Luke 4:5-7 NIV).

        When Adam and Eve made Satan their lord in the Garden of Eden, the worldly realm became Satan’s. How did Jesus respond to Satan’s temptation? “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” (Luke 4:8 NIV). He responded with the Word of God. God’s Word is the only power that overcomes anything the devil can throw at us. Jesus backed down Satan’s temptations with three powerful words, “It is written.”

​        We can do the same. The power and truth of God’s Word changes natural facts. The next time Satan gives you a sucker punch, hit him with the Word of God. Walking by faith and not by sight brings victory every time.

            We all have difficult things to deal with – a frustrating relationship, a toxic boss, an unexpected bill, or a bad report from the doctor. The question is, how do we deal with these situations when they arise? Exodus 14:14 AMPC says when you “…hold your peace and remain at rest” that “the Lord will fight for you.”
           
           God has called us to reign in life. “If one man’s sin brought a reign of death--that’s Adam’s legacy—how much more will those who receive grace in abundance and the free gift of redeeming justice reign in life by means of one other man—Jesus the Anointed.” Romans 5:17 VOICE. Because God has given us an abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, He expects us to reign in life through His precious Son, Jesus. When we react, rather than rest, we are not reigning in life.
           
           In any situation we face, we always have a choice. We can make the decision each day to let faith rule our thoughts, attitudes, and the things we say, or react negatively to the circumstances around us. Recently, I read about a pastor who received a great victory from the Lord in providing the funds to purchase a building in which to worship. All the parishioners celebrated. But the next day, the pastor received a telephone call that a large company had filed a federal lawsuit to keep the congregation from moving into the building.
           
            The pastor’s wife overheard the telephone conversation. She turned to her husband and asked him, “What are you going to do?" Right then, he had a choice to make. He could let fear, worry, anger, disappointment, or negative thinking steal his joy. But instead, he chose to rest and let God fight the battle. Today, his church meets every week in that building.
           
             When difficulties arise, are you going to let negative thoughts, attitudes, or emotions wedge themselves down into your spirit? Or are you going to choose to rest and let God fight the battle for you? It’s up to you.

            What is the kingdom of God? It is the realm where Jesus reigns as king and the authority of God is supreme. The kingdom exists here and now in the hearts and lives of believers, as well as in perfection and fulness in the future.
           
         "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom,” Jesus told His disciples in Luke 12:32 NIV. He also told them in Luke 8:10 a NIV, “…“The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you…” 

              In Caesarea Philippi, when Jesus asked His disciples who people said He was, Peter answered that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Jesus told Peter that truth had not been revealed to him by flesh and blood, but by His heavenly Father. Then Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 16:19 NIV, “…I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…”
           
           Today, I would like to look at an example of where Jesus used one of the keys of the kingdom. In Matthew 14:15-21 NIV we read:

15 “As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

             When Jesus told the disciples to give the huge crowd something to eat, they were thinking in the natural. “We have here only…” (verse 17). Jesus operated in the supernatural. “…Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves…” (verse 19). Through prayer to His heavenly Father, he demonstrated how to unlock heaven’s warehouse and draw upon its abundance.
           
               The wonderful news is that we as believers can do the same. “…truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 14:12-14 NIV.

             We know that Jesus prayed according to the will of His Father. And we must too. 1 John 5:14, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”  God’s Word is His will. When we pray God’s Word, we are praying according to His will. Then we will not be asking with wrong motives (James 4:3).
           
​               So dear friend, when you have a need or are praying for the needs of others, don’t be like the disciples and say, “I have only…” but use a kingdom key and pray to the heavenly Father as Jesus did. As you pray in the Name of Jesus and according to God’s will, you can know that the answer is on its way.

          God always intended for humankind to walk here on earth connected to Him. In the cool of the day, He came down to fellowship with Adam and Eve. Everything they needed, He provided.
           
         Adam and Eve lost that connection when they disobeyed God and sin entered the world. Sin cannot be in the presence of God.
           
       From before the foundation of the world, God had a plan to restore His connection with humankind. “…you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.” 1 Peter 1: 18-20 ESV. God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a sinless life and die a cruel death. Jesus descended into the pit of hell, and defeated Satan and all his demons when He rose triumphantly out of the tomb. “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” Colossians 2:15 NIV. God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus when God raised Him from the dead. “…Who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:4 NIV.

         Satan and his devils did not understand God’s plan of redemption. “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 2:8 NIV. The rulers of this age wanted to do away with Jesus. They did not know that through His death and resurrection, He made it possible for His Holy Spirit to dwell in those who accepted Him as Saviour and Lord – millions upon millions anointed with the same Holy Spirit as Jesus. “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.” Matthew 3:16 NLT.
           
          After Jesus rose from the dead, in John 20:22 TLB it says, “Then he breathed on them (His disciples) and told them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’.” Once again, the life of God flowed through His creation. Connection with the life of God had been restored.
           
          As born-again believers, the Holy Spirit of God indwells us. The only thing that hinders the flow of God’s life into our lives is sin. When we repent, that flow it restored.
           
​           Today, and everyday, may we allow the Spirit of God within us to flood every part of our being and flow out of us in love to those around us.

          ​I am writing to those who are born again. You have invited Jesus to be your Savior and Lord. How do you see yourself? Do you still see yourself as a sinner, or do you see yourself as someone born anew by the power of the Holy Spirit? How you see yourself is important. “Proverbs 23:7 says as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. What we think about ourselves determines how we live.

​         The Scripture tells us who we are in Christ Jesus. There are so many but I will just list twelve of them here. As a born-again believer, you are:

1. Redeemed from the curse of sin, sickness, and poverty. Deuteronomy 28, Galatians 3:13
2. Rescued from the power and domain of darkness and brought into God’s kingdom of light. Colossians 1:13
3. Redeemed and forgiven of all your sin. You have been made clean through the blood of Jesus. Ephesians 1:7
4. In standing with God and have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21
5. Part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people. 1 Peter 2:9
6. An overcomer. You overcome the enemy of your soul by the blood of the Lamb and the word of your testimony. Revelation 12:11
7. A joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17) and more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves you. Romans 8:37
8. Called out of the darkness of sin into Christ’s light and life so that you can proclaim the excellence and greatness of who He is. 1 Peter 2:9
9. Given authority and power over the enemy of this world. Mark 16:17-18, Luke 10:17-19
10. Far from oppression. You will not live in fear. Isaiah 54:14
11. Born of God. The evil one does not touch you. 1 John 5:18
12. Free from the law of sin and death and live under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1-2

        The next time Satan harasses you with how no good you are, that you’re a failure, that God doesn’t love you, remind him of who you are in Christ Jesus. He doesn’t like to hear it. When we resist him, he WILL flee. James 4:7.

              In John Chapter Two, there is the account of Jesus attending a wedding feast with His disciples when His mother comes to Him with a problem. The wine had run out. You know the story. Jesus told the servants to fill six hefty water jars with water. And then He turned the water into wine. Not just ordinary wine – good wine. In verse ten (NIV) the host said to the bridegroom, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best until now.”
           
           If the wine hadn’t run out, if they hadn’t come to the end of their own provision, they would not have received the best wine. Sometimes we have to come to the end of our own efforts before we see God step in. And when He steps in, He gives us His best.
           
           Interestingly, Jesus told the servants to fill the large pots with water. I’m sure the servants had some questions about that. They needed wine, not water. At times, God will ask us to do things we don’t understand. This is when we need to remember to stay in faith and obey. He has our future in His hands and He knows the end from the beginning.
              
               Noah is a good example of someone who did what God told him to do, even when it didn’t make sense. It had never rained. Why would he need a boat? And to load the vessel with animals? Yet Genesis 6:22, says “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” His obedience brought deliverance.
              
               If the servants hadn’t been obedient to the command of Jesus and taken the water to the wedding host, I believe those pots would have remained full of water. In obeying the command of Jesus, a miracle occurred.
              
                Dear Lord Jesus, at the start of a new year, today and always, help me to obey Your commands, even if they don’t make sense to me. Help me not to forget that You are the God of miracles.

              “As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship…” Acts 8:26-27 NLT.
            The Scripture says this man was the treasurer of Ethiopia, (Minister of Finance?), had great authority, and worked under the Kandake (Candace), the queen of Ethiopia. The name “Candace” may have been the queen’s name, or it may have been a title for “queen’, similar to “Pharaoh”. It also says he was a eunuch.
            What exactly is a eunuch? Eunuchs in Bible times were usually castrated before puberty, sometimes with their permission, but more often not. Their voices did not change and remained high. They did not develop bodily or facial hair like other men. They looked and sounded different from the men and women who surrounded them. They were most often single and had no children. They were loners. In addition to being a eunuch, he was a foreigner, an African, a member of a royal court with great authority, a literate person, and a man of faith. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was sitting in his chariot reading from the fifty-third chapter of the Book of Isaiah.
            I have been to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, the only remains of the retaining wall surrounding the Temple Mount, site of the First and Second Temples. In order to see it, I had to separate from my husband. He went with the men and I went with the women. It was the same at the time of Jesus. Men went to one side, women and children to the other. There was an area for foreigners and for gentiles. Everyone had their place. I’m sure the eunuch wondered where he belonged. He most likely wondered that most of his life.
            This man had probably been taken from his home and parents as a child to another country. There, he was operated on, as men held him down, frozen in fear. He endured the pain of castration and suffered a long recovery. As he grew up, he never experienced puberty and did not change as other boys did. He began his work in the royal court. I’m sure he often felt lonely and longed to be in a family again. Even to have his own family. But he was unable.
            In the royal court, non-eunuchs respected and mocked him, often at the same time. On the one hand, they envied his elevated status. On the other hand, they rejected him for being less than a man. And because of a lack of testosterone in his body, he was often sick and fragile, his bones growing more brittle with each passing day.
            As this man sat in his chariot, suddenly Philip joined him. God’s angel had told Philip to go and Philip had obeyed. God moved Heaven (the angel) and earth (Philip) for one lone man. He was reading from Isaiah 53, verses 32 and 33 (NLT)
            “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,  he did not open his mouth.  He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
            He felt the weight of those words. The person in the passage had suffered. He asked Philip who it was. Philip told him the passage was talking about Jesus and shared the Gospel with him. The man believed and when they came to some water, Philip baptized him, the very first baptized believer in the early church. When they came out of the water, Philip was snatched away by the Holy Spirit. The account says, “…The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.” (verse 39 NLT).
            We know the eunuch rejoiced because he had responded to God’s great gift of salvation through Jesus. But I like to think he rejoiced for an additional reason – that after Philip left, he kept reading Isaiah and came to an extraordinary promise for foreigners and eunuchs. 
           “Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.” And let no eunuch complain, “I am only a dry tree.” For this is what the Lord says: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant-- to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.” (Isaiah 56:3-5 NIV).
            God cared about that eunuch. He cared about what had happened to him in his life. God moved Heaven and earth to reach him with the Gospel. And God gave him a promise from His Word. Thousands of years later, we’re still reading about this man. My friend, the God who created the universe cares about You. When you cry out to Him, He will move Heaven and earth to meet the deepest longings of your heart.